Republicans Call For “Prevailing Wage” Mandate Repeal

TRENTON — A measure repealing mandates on government to pay “prevailing wage” for construction projects should be high on the agenda to create jobs, Assembly Republicans Michael Patrick Carroll and Declan O’Scanlon said Thursday.

“The only thing that has ‘prevailed’ under the Democrats’ wage mandates is higher costs for taxpayers, fewer construction projects and less employment in New Jersey,” said Carroll (R-Morris). “Any serious bipartisan effort to create jobs would include repealing ‘prevailing wage’ mandates.'”

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Carroll and O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) have introduced legislation, A-3505, that would repeal all laws providing for the payment of “prevailing wages” in New Jersey. They said it should be part of the agenda this month as legislators consider job-creating legislation.

“The cost of doing business with New Jersey has artificially driven up costs by 30 percent in some cases, which is unfair to taxpayers and often prohibits projects from getting done,” O’Scanlon said. “‘Prevailing wage’ was designed to guarantee higher pay for workers, but no one gets paid anything when the work is too expensive to proceed.

“If the Democrats are serious about reviving our economy and creating jobs in a bipartisan effort, repealing ‘prevailing wage’ must be part of the solution,” O’Scanlon said.